Your Diet Might Be Hurting Your Feet

Your Diet Might Be Hurting Your Feet

Did you know that what you consume could actually be affecting your foot health?

When we sit down to enjoy a meal we sometimes think about how what we eat affects our overall health. While we consider the heart benefits, we might not realize that the food we are about to enjoy can also affect the health of our feet as well. It might sound rather strange to consider, but what we eat affects all parts of the body, feet included. If you want to maintain both good overall health and good foot health, then it’s time to find out just how diet can affect your feet.

The American Diet

While we don’t like to admit it, the American diet is detrimental to foot health, as it often causes an inflammatory response. With all the saturated fats, refined grains, trans fats and added sugar, it’s no wonder that a lot of us deal with inflamed and uncomfortable feet. While some people may have a food sensitivity that causes foot inflammation, for most of us it’s our heavy intake of foods loaded with these bad elements that lead to our foot problems.

The Healthy-Foot Diet

What can you do to promote better foot health? Follow these diet recommendations to reduce inflammation and prevent conditions such as plantar fasciitis from affecting your life:

  • Incorporate more omega-3 fats: Next time you go to the grocery store, head to the seafood counter and snag some delicious salmon. Fatty fish like salmon are packed full of omega­3s, which stave off inflammation. If you aren’t a seafood lover, then consider taking fish oil supplements to reap the omega­3 benefits instead.
  • Avoid refined foods: No matter how tempting it might be, sugary snacks and white, processed grains like bread and pasta can wreak havoc on your body’s inflammatory response. However, you don’t have to say goodbye to that weekly bowl of past. Instead, swap it for whole grains and dark, leafy vegetables and stay away from processed, packaged and refined foods. This is particularly important for those with diabetes.
  • Say yes for lean meats: While a juicy steak might sound delicious, the saturated fats are anything but healthy for your feet. Instead, you should replace red meats with leaner meats like fish or chicken.

If you notice any foot symptoms that cause you concern, then you should talk to your podiatrist as soon as possible. If you are worried about how your diet is affecting your health then talk to us about foods to decrease inflammation and promote healthier feet. After all, our feet do a lot for us, so isn’t it time you did something for them?